4 WAITAKI HERALD, JULY 9, 2014 NEWS Waitaki Boys’ High board considering report By DANIEL BIRCHFIELD daniel.birchfield@waitakiherald.co.nz Waitaki Boys’ High School’s (WBHS) board of trustees has confirmed it has accepted an independent report into issues surrounding the school and are now in the process of implementing its recommendations. Dunedin-based independent consultant Cleave Hay was commissioned by the school board last month after concerns were raised by parents and others in the school community about administration and management at the school. Hay presented his report to the school’s board at a meeting on Monday night, while the board accepted it at it’s meeting on Tuesday night. The report was formally discussed at the meet- ing, with the public being excluded to protect the privacy of individuals. The Ministry of Education is not considering intervening at this stage, however it has acknowledged the board’s acceptance of Hay’s report. WBHS board of trustees chairman Garry McLeod says the report did not draw any conclusions, but clarified what the overarching issues are and made recommendations for the board to move forward with. ‘‘Mr Hay has reported on the concerns raised, Price rise: Mackenzie Wilson slots a coin into a parking meter at the Eden St carpark while Michael Wilson looks on. Parking charges increase P By DANIEL BIRCHFIELD daniel.birchfield@waitakiherald.co.nz arking fees in Oamaru have increased for the first time in more than two years. The Waitaki District Council recently announced a rise of 10 cents an hour for metered, on-street pay and display parking and off-street car parks. Metered parking will now cost $1.10 per hour on-street and $0.90 per hour offstreet. The all day fee of $4 remains unchanged while the cost of parking permits, $120 for three months, $220 for six months and $400 for 12 months, also remain unchanged. A small portion of the increase is to help cover inflation, with the remainder offsetting the cost of the council-funded Waitaki Community Guardians. In the last financial year, the Oamaru business area contributed $50,000 to the guardians through rates. The total cost for the community guardians this year is $40,000, with Oamaru business area rates contributing $30,000 and parking meter revenue $10,000. Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher says the guardians do an outstanding job in the Waitaki district and deserve financial assistance from council. ‘‘Waitaki Community Guardians play which included meeting with and talking to former pupils, teachers and ex-teachers and parents. ‘‘The board now have a much clearer understanding of what needs to be addressed and how we can do this in the most appropriate and effective way.’’ He says members of the school community will assist with the next step in the board’s process. ‘‘The key message we want to get out to the an important role in the safety of our community and this is a fair way to share in the cost of helping to keep our streets safe.’’ The last time the cost of parking in Oamaru increased was in March 2012 to help cover the more than $395,000 installation cost of 46 new parking meters to replace the Oamaru’s more than 10-year-old meters, which were prone to malfunction. As well as accepting cash, the town’s new meters take payments by text message or credit card for a fee of 50 cents. Prior to that rise, the cost of parking in Oamaru had remained unchanged since 2002. school community is that the board has identified a way forward and is committed to putting in place the measures needed to resolve the issues identified in the report. ‘‘We are all focused on getting the best outcomes for the school.’’ While McLeod says it’s not clear how long the process will take at this stage, the school community will be kept informed on progress. The report is not being published publicly and the board is not providing details on the specific issues identified by Hay. McLeod thanked everyone who had contributed to the process so far, including Hay, on behalf of the board. ‘‘Mr Hay’s vast experience in education manage- ment issues and his report has been gratefully received by the board. ‘‘We also appreciate the input from the school community, who, like us, are committed to ensuring Waitaki Boys’ High School continues to provide a supportive environment and excellent standard of education for its students. Ministry of Education head of sector enable- ment and support Katrina Casey says it acknowledges Hay’s recommendations and the board’s commitment to addressing highlighted issues. ‘‘The next step is to meet with the board to discuss the recommendations in the report, including timeframes for agreed actions to be implemented, and to identify any support we can give to the school. ‘‘We will monitor the board’s actions in response to the report’s recommendations to ensure all issues are addressed,’’ she says. Looking at findings: Waitaki Boys’ High School’s board of trustees is taking action after accepting a report on issues at the school.